Belair. In National Park. The servants quarters of Old Government House built in 1860 at Belair. A s التي كتبها denisbin

Old Government House. It was Governor Richard MacDonnell (1855-62) who wanted a summer residence away from the heat of Adelaide. The Colonial architect Edward Hamilton drew up the plans for a simple little cottage on government Farm with an “indoor swimming pool” to preserve the vice regal couple’s modesty. Work was completed in June 1860 including terraces and fences. MacDonnell’s successor was Governor Dominick Daly (1862-68.) During his governorship Prince Alfred the Prince of Wales visited Old Government House in 1867. Daly’s successor Sir James Fergusson (1869-73) preferred the cooler climate of Robe for a summer retreat and he used Karatta House. In turn his successor Sir William Jervois who arrived in 1877 immediately selected land near Ashton for a new grand summer Governor’s mansion to be known as Marble Hill. From 1880 Old Government House was never again to be used by SA governors. Old Government House was then passed to the control of the Woods and Forests Department for use as a manager’s residence. This arrangement only ceased in 1958 when a parcel of land within the Belair National Park was exchanged for a new Woods and Forest nursery. Restoration work began in 1960 with an official re-opening in 1961. With changes the current Old government House contains an entrance hall, study, dining room, bedroom with a downstairs bathroom. The Servants’ Quarters which were built in 1857 (before the house was constructed) contained laundries, kitchen etc. The crowing feature of the house is the dining room with a bay window facing south across the balustraded terrace. In recent years the garden has been restored again. Originally it had a rose garden with 1860s varieties of old European roses.